Nomination Form - Self-Advocate Leadership of the Year Award

BC People First is proud to present the annual Self-Advocate Leadership of the Year Award. In celebration of self-advocacy and the power of self-advocates.

This award goes to someone in BC who has shown leadership and knowledge throughout the past year in advocating for themselves and the rights of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Nominations are due November 15, 2026. A winner will be selected by a judging panel based on the answers given in the nomination forms. The winner will be announced after the selection process ends – announcement should be made by early December in our BCPF newsletter, website, and social media. The winner receives a $250 bursary award, to host a learning or advocacy event in their area of the province, that can be used in 2027.

People can be nominated by a friend, colleague, family member, support worker, or other community member. You cannot nominate yourself for the award – but don't be afraid to ask someone you know to nominate you if you have been hard at work doing advocacy for disability rights in BC!

Nominee Eligibility Criteria:

The person being nominated must have completed self-advocacy and disability rights related advocacy work throughout the past year.
The person being nominated must identify as having an intellectual, developmental, or cognitive disability.
They must also be a resident of British Columbia.
And have not won this award in the past.

Nomination Guidelines:

Nominations must be in by 11pm, Sunday, November 15, 2026 to be considered.
The Nominator must complete the nomination form and answer the nomination questions about the person they are nominating.
Please fill out the below nomination form in full, including adding a headshot style photo of the Nominee. Ask them for a photo if you don't have one and get them to approve the photo you are using.
Award winners and sometimes award finalists are celebrated in BCPF communications and by BCPF Community Partners or other self-advocacy groups. We want to share news of the winner and celebrate self-advocacy.
The nominator or nominee may be contacted to verify information that has been given.
The nominee should know about their nomination – the nominator should get permission to nominate them, just in case they don't want to be nominated. And the nominator may need to ask the nominee questions to help answer the nomination questions.
The nominator and nominee can work together to make sure information in the nomination form is right.
People can be nominated for the award by a friend, colleague, family member, support worker, or other community member.
Email us at hello@bcpeoplefirst.com if you have any questions.
You cannot nominate yourself for the award – but don't be afraid to ask someone you know to nominate you! Especially if you have been hard at work doing advocacy for disability rights and helping others learn advocacy skills.

Name of Nominator (the person nominating someone else for the award)

First NameLast Name

Nominator Email

example@example.com

Nominator Phone Number

Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.

Nominator organization or relation to Award Nominee

How do you know the person you are nominating for this award? (colleague, peer, support worker, community member, etc. or what organization you are part of...)

Name of Nominee (the person you are nominating to win this award).

First NameLast Name

Nominee email

example@example.com

Phone Number of the person being nominated.

Optional. Please provide a valid phone number if the Award Nominee does not have an email address.Format: (000) 000-0000.

Is the Nominee a resident of BC?

Nominee Consent by Nominator

Answer questions 1-7 to the best of your knowledge about the person you are nominating for this award.

Examples of achievement could be (these are just ideas):

Inspiring mentorship and guidance for people new to self-advocacy
Development of new or unique approaches or new programs for self-advocacy
Board work, committee/task force involvement in the field of self-advocacy
Teaching, writing, or giving presentations to raise awareness or advocate for policy change
Raising awareness with a newsletter, blog, or website of their own, or using social media for disability rights advocacy.
Participation in public advocacy campaigns or projects with local organizations
Applying learnings from workshops or courses to their own lives and the lives of other self-advocates

Please provide details and be specific in your answers below. This helps the Award Judging Panel make the best decision with the information available.

Question 1: How does the nominee advocate for their own needs or wants in their life? What self-advocacy work have they done this past year? Why is self-advocacy important to them?

Question 2: Does the nominee volunteer at any organizations that do advocacy for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities? If so, how do they volunteer?

Question 3: Is the Nominee a Member of a BC People First Society? Or a Member of another self-advocacy group in their local area – if yes, which group?

Examples: BC People First Society, Self-Advocates of the Rockies, Mission Self-Advocacy Group, Self-Advocate Leadership Network, Self-Advocates of Semiahmoo, Self-Advocates of Nanaimo, Self-Advocates In Langley, Self-Advocates for a Brighter Future, and more!

Question 4: Please describe how the Nominee supports the efforts of other self-advocates in their community?

Question 5: Describe how the Nominee has raised awareness about human rights or disability rights in their community (or beyond) in the past few years.

Examples: Do they promote self-advocacy and human rights with service providers, government officials, or even family members who don't understand "Nothing About Us Without Us"? Do they raise awareness on social media or in other ways? Do they promote the self-advocacy movement in general?

Question 6: Has the Nominee completed any workshops or training about self-advocacy skills or human rights or leadership skills in the past few years? If yes, please explain what they studied and if it helped in their self-advocacy work.

Does this person keep learning more about advocacy skills so they know more all the time and can help others learn more?

Question 7: What do you think makes this Nominee exceptional at self-advocacy and advocacy work?

What are the main reasons you think this person should win the award for 2024?

Photo of the award Nominee (headshot style photo of the person being nominated for the award or any photo they approve)

Please include a photo of the person you are nominating for this award. You can ask them to send you a photo for their nomination if you don't have one. The photo may be used in award winner and award finalist promotions.

Nominator Declaration

Nominator Signature